This is a priority alert to all Dragon Ball fans. Mike McFarland needs our help now more than ever as he is going to be fighting for his life. I repeat, Master Roshi’s life is in danger.
This past January, we broke the news that Mike McFarland, best known for being the main dub VA for the OG dirty old man of anime, Master Roshi, had undergone surgery. A checkup at the hospital for what he thought was an ear infection revealed that he actually had a brain tumor. They got the tumor out, but McFarland had a tough road to recovery ahead of him. Thousands of people donated on GoFundMe to help him out, and it looked like that was the end of that.
It wasn’t. A few days ago, the GoFundMe was updated. The tumor was glioblastoma, a rare and extremely aggressive form of brain cancer. The prognosis is…I don’t even want to bring it up here. It’s that bad.
According to the organizer, Mike had to go back to the hospital after an attempt at assisted living, but that’s no longer an option. In order to fight this battle, he’ll need to move into a fulltime nursing facility. That will cost a lot of money every month. That is where we come in. It is up to us to make up for the failings of the healthcare system. Master Roshi needs us now more than ever!
So please, if you have any spare money lying around, consider donating it to help Mike McFarland. Master Roshi was the OG mentor of Shonen anime, and an inspiration for many since then. Also, we just lost Toriyama last year. I refuse to lose another member of the Funimation dub team so soon!
One year ago, the anime workd was devastated by the news of Akira Toriyama’s death. Toriyama, the man many consider the godfather of the modern Shonen manga, was gone. Millions of people around the world, from his friends and family all the way up to world leaders, all mourned his passing. However, his death would not be the end of his story. At least, not yet.
Less than a year earlier, Toei animation had announced that Dragon Ball would be returning with a new anime series to celebrate its 40th birthday. Even better, though, was the fact that Toriyama himself had written the story for this new anime, Dragon Ball Daima. Now, by fate or chance, Daima had become the last thing Toriyama worked on for the world that he created. If fans were already excited as it was for Dragon Ball to return in anime form, now they wanted to see how his final story would play out.
Now that Goku’s untold adventure had come to an end, though, how does Daima hold up? Did it meet fans expectations? Could it have done anything better? Is it even canon? While that last question will likely be debated for a while, the first two have an actual answer to them: yes and yes.
What is Daima About?
If you didn’t keep up with Daima during its run, here’s a quick synopsis.
Taking place shortly after the defeat of Majin Buu, Goku and his family are enjoying their lives now that peace has returned (and Goku’s alive again.) Unbeknownst to them, Gomah, the new Supreme King of the Demon Realm that Dabura ruled before his death, has been watching them for a while. Terrified at how Goku and the others defeated Majin Buu and seeing them as a threat to his rule, Gomah hatches a plan. Traveling under the radar to Earth, he uses the Dragon Balls to turn Goku and all his allies into kids, thinking they won’t be a threat in that state. And, for good measure, he kidnaps Dende to make even more Dragon Balls in the future.
Naturally, Goku and the others can’t let this stand, and when someone from the Demon Realm comes saying they were sent to bring the ones who beat Buu, they embark on a quest to rescue Dende and return to their normal ages. This quest will take them to the Demon Realm, a part of the cosmos that has never been fully explored in the history of Dragon Ball!
This is Like GT but with Better Writing
In case it’s not obvious, Dragon Ball Daima takes a lot of inspiration from another anime in the franchise, Dragon Ball GT. Released back in the 90s by Toei as a sequel to DBZ, GT told a completely original story that starts with Goku being reduced to a child by a set of Dragon Balls. The initial arc would see him, Trunks, and his granddaughter Pan travel the galaxy to retrieve these Dragon Balls in the hopes of saving Earth from being destroyed. Because…reasons!
In hindsight, GT felt like an attempt by Toei to fuse the original adventure genre of Dragon Ball with the more popular Shonen fighting genre that most people know the franchise for. Unfortunately, while it did have its good points, most notably Super Saiyan 4, GT wasn’t as good as DBZ. Toriyama himself had little to no involvement beyond some character designs, and it showed! The plot tried too hard to be funny, only to come off as cringe. Several of the characters became unlikable. And the less said about Dolltaki, the better! It’s for these and many other reasons that fans debate whether or not GT is even canon or part of another timeline!
Daima is Toei’s second attempt to tell a story that returns Dragon Ball to its adventurous roots. And unlike before, Toriyama was fully on board. In a recent interview with Akio Iyoku, Daima’s exec producer, it was confirmed that the series was a deliberate attempt to evoke the feeling of GT. Funnily enough, that same interview confirmed that Toriyama was only meant to have limited involvement. But Toriyama found it so exciting, he pretty much handled it all by himself.
In hindsight, that might partly why he died so young, but at least he died doing what he loved. And it also explains yet another thing he worked on being a big influence on Daima.
Good Old JRPG Action!
Outside of his work as a mangaka, Toriyama is famous for his work in another medium of entertainment: video games. He was the character designer for the Dragon Quest and Chrono Trigger series, the latter being one of the greatest JRPGs ever made. Whether he intended to or not, it seems that his experiences with those games helped to influence how he wrote Daima, because it feels an awful lot like a JRPG.
It’s been stated several times throughout this blog’s reviews for this series, but Daima feels like the Dragon Ball equivalent to Dragon Quest. The quest to save an entire world from a tyrannical king. The ragtag party of heroes that add more members as the adventure goes on. The concept of the Medi Bugs even sounds a lot like items you find in an RPG!
It doesn’t stop with the story and gameplay mechanics. Up until the final battle against Gomah, the fights give off the feeling of a classic JRPG fight. And this blog isn’t the only one who’s noticed the similarities. Plenty of other fans have noticed the comparisons between Daima and Dragon Quest. One article from Screenrant even says that it only serves to make Daima an even bigger tribute to the legacy of Toriyama. It combines his magnum opus for both manga and video games into a fairly entertaining story that could easily work as a standalone video game! It’s funny enough to be one!
Toriyama Never Lost his Sense of Humor
When it comes to the action, Dragon Ball Daima can feel a tad lackluster when compared to Z and Super. However, there is a good reason for that: Dragon Ball didn’t start out as a franchise focused solely on fighting. Fighting and martial arts were always a part of the story, but in the beginning, Dragon Ball was more concerned about the adventure. The entire story starts because Goku and Bulma go on an adventure to find the rest of the Dragon Balls together. Daima was an attempt to return to the franchise roots as a story inspired by Journey to the West, best exemplified by Goku’s retrieval of his Power Pole. By focusing more on the adventure aspects, this meant that the series could also focus more on the comedic aspects.
Toriyama was a man with a pretty good sense of humor. His first big manga, Dr. Slump, was a gag comedy. And while it would come to be best known for the fights, Dragon Ball never really lost its sense of humor. Thanks to its premise, Daima was able to bring the comedy back in full. From the oaf and straight-man routine that Goku and Glorio established to even the villains proving to be fairly goofy, you can tell Toriyama wanted to make his fans laugh. And it largely worked. Special mention goes to Hybis and his absolute deadpan attitude towards everything!
Thankfully, Daima never forgot about the action, and when it wanted to focus on that, it went HARD! By the time the final episodes rolled around, it had already returned to the same levels of action from DBZ before starting to edge closer to what comes in Super. And judging by the Internet’s reaction, fans were more than satisfied with what we got.
SUCH EPIC FANSERVICE!
Speaking of which, can we just bring up the fact that Daima was amazing at delivering fanservice? Most people associate that concept with images of attractive anime characters, but in a broader sense, it’s about giving the fans what they want to see. In the case of Dragon Ball Daima, it was getting to see things that plenty of fans wanted to see. The return of Goku’s Power Pole was a good example of fanservice for those who like the earlier Dragon Ball adventures, but there’s more than that.
Exhibit A: Super Saiyan 3 Vegeta. Vegeta was only ever shown achieving this form in video games, which were, by their nature, non-canon. Getting to see that form appear in the anime, albeit as Kid Vegeta, was a big deal. However, that would end up paling in comparison to what we would get next.
Exhibit B: Super Saiyan 4 Goku. Say what you want about GT, but you cannot deny that SSJ 4 was cool! The red fur and wild hair may feel super-edgy these days, but that can be chalked up to it coming from the 90s. That decade was all about being edgy! What was more important is that this marked the first time in decades that fans got to see the fabled SSJ 4 in the anime, and we just ate it up! People are already saying that Goku’s transformation into SSJ 4 is the second coming of the legendary first time we saw SSJ 3. And they’re right!
Just don’t expect any explanation as to why this form never comes up in Super.
They Shouldn’t Have Rushed Things so Much
When it comes to it, there are two main problems regarding Dragon Ball Daima. One seriously affects the overall story, while the other is something that mainly concerns hardcore fans.
The big problem is the length and pacing of the series. The first nine episodes are focused on the setup and then Goku and the others’ journey through the first of the three worlds making up the Demon Realm. The time spent in the Second World amounts to around five episodes, with the last five focusing on the final battle against Gomah and his army. No matter how you look at it, that’s some pretty uneven levels of focus! The show spends so much time in the Third World and expanding it, the lack of attention the Second World gets is a problem. Especially when you consider that it was hinting at parts of the Demon Realm we may never get to see!
The other problem is regarding whether or not Daima counts as canon. Since none of what happens gets mentioned in Super, some fans wonder if it counts as canon. The fact that Super Saiyan 4 never gets brought up doesn’t help matter. However, that same interview with Ikoyu confirms that, yes, Daima is canon, mainly because it was written by Toriyama. That answer, though, does imply that anything made for the franchise following his passing may be non-canon.
My thoughts? Who cares?
Let’s be Happy We got more Dragon Ball
Who cares if Dragon Ball Daima is canon or not? Who cares if might contradict the established lore for Dragon Ball in a few ways. And who cares that none of this ever comes up in Super (yet.) At the end of the day, I don’t think whether Daima is even canon should be what’s important. What’s important is that we got more Dragon Ball.
It’s not something that fans want to think about, but the passing of Toriyama marks the end of an era for Dragon Ball. From now on, the franchise will have to continue without its creator, and while plenty of franchises have managed to do so, there’s always the concern that things won’t be the same. What’s more, many of the people who voice the characters aren’t getting any younger. Sooner or later, they’re going to have to retire or will eventually pass away. Masako will let her voice live on through AI, but there’s no telling what will others will do. Even Bulma’s original seiyuu passed away years ago!
The bottom line is that Dragon Ball may not last forever, as much as we may want it. Sooner or later, it’s going to have to end or end up like The Simpsons: a pale shadow of its former self. So the way I see it, we should enjoy Dragon Ball as much as we can while we still have it.
A Worthy Send-off for a Legend
So, was Dragon Ball Daima a perfect series? No! It had its ups and downs, and I do think it could’ve benefitted from more episodes. However, the idea of a perfect story doesn’t exist, and if it did, that would just mean mankind couldn’t tell anything better. At the end of the day, though, Daima wasn’t trying to be a perfect story. It was just trying to entertain people, either by making them laugh or squealing in joy. And it largely succeeded, with most of the people I know and follow online loving it.
What’s most important, though, is that this series was the final gift that we got from Akira Toriyama. There’s no telling if he knew that his life was coming to an end, but if he did, then he chose to spend his final days pouring his heart and soul into making Daima the best that he could make it. And it paid off! Most fans seemed to love Daima, and consider it a worthy final work from a man who helped change the world. Dragon Ball will likely go on for years to come, and it might not be the same without Toriyama, but he’s already given us everything he had. He’s more than earned the right to go to that big studio in the sky where all the great storytellers in human history get to chill for the rest of eternity. The least we could do as fans was make sure he got the sendoff he deserved.
And we did. Arigato, Toriyama-Sama. You’ve earned the rest.
There are only two words that can be used to describe these final episodes of Dragon Ball Daima: absolute. Cinema. And the fandom certainly seems to think so.
We are now in the final two episodes of Toriyama’s last gift to the world, and Daima has never been more popular. In-universe, though, things were looking dire for the Dragon Team. Goku and the others were unable to leave a dent in Gomah thanks to the Evil Third Eye. To make matters worse, Glorio chose this crucial moment to summon the Demon Realm’s Dragon on behalf of Dr. Arinsu. It looked like the betrayal that was teased earlier was about to take place, and the episode’s title didn’t help much.
The episode starts off with everyone, from the Dragon Team and their allies to the audience, watching as Glorio has summoned the Demon Realm’s Dragon (Red Porunga). It looked like he was about to make Dr. Arinsu’s wish to be stronger than Gomah a reality. However, much to everyone’s astonishment, he didn’t end up wishing for that! Instead, he wished for the Dragon Team to be returned to their adult selves!
This isn’t the first time that Toriyama decided to give us this kind of bait-and-switch; after all, he did it when Krillin chose not to shut down 18. However, the fact that the audience was just as in the dark about Glorio’s wish due to it being in Namekian was brilliant. Cliffhangers may not always be enjoyable, but when done right, the payoff is worth the wait.
As for why Glorio chose to betray his employer, who had saved him from the Third Demon World, no verbal explanation is given. However, the look on Glorio’s face as he’s warmly greeted by the others says it all. He did it because he’s grown to like his traveling companions. Good on him for that! Even better knowing that Goku finally got his name right.
Besides, it’s not as if Arinsu has no other allies. Kuu and Duu remain loyal to her, and the relationship she has with them seems pretty positive. Even moreso when it’s thanks to Kuu that Arinsu learns how to get the Evil Third Eye out of Gomah.
Vegeta Gets his SSJ 3 Moment Yet Again!
Now that they’re back in their adult forms, the heroes can fight Gomah on more equal ground. Unfortunately, they fall back into the old habit of fighting the enemy one at a time, with Vegeta going first. Try as Vegeta might, not even his adult SSJ 3 form is enough to hurt Gomah. Or rather, it does hurt him, but the damage doesn’t stick, thanks to the Evil Eye.
IT FINALLY HAPPENED!!!!! WE FINALLY GOT TO SEE ADULT SUPER SAIYAN 3 VEGETA IN DRAGON BALL DAIMA BATTLE AGAINST KING GOMAH!!!!!! pic.twitter.com/LMVyTmA1vy
No wonder why that eye is considered so dangerous. It basically gives the user infinite health and stamina! But, like any good video game boss, it does have a weakness. And it’s something so simple, it’s actually laughable: hit the user on the back of their head three times, and the Eye will fall out.
That’s nowhere near as funny as the threat that Bulma gives Vegeta if he won’t let Goku and Piccolo fight, though.
It may seem silly (and it is), but it’s moments like this that show just how much Toriyama understood his fans. He knew what would make us laugh, make us cry, and most of all, leave us squealing in joy. And if seeing SSJ 4 Goku as a kid was awesome, that’s nothing compared to what happens next. As Goku prepares to distract Gomah so Piccolo can get in the hits, we not only get a call-back to one of the most famous transformation sequences in the franchise, but a bonus.
In all seriousness, though, these last few episodes have done wonders to help make up for whatever shortcomings Daima might have. It’s very bittersweet to think that the next episode will likely be the grand finale, but all good things must end. Let’s make sure that Daima gets the attention it deserves before we send Toriyama off to that great studio in the sky.
Over the years, Dragon Ball GT has been a great subject of debate in the Dragon Ball community. Does the anime-original sequel hold up against its predecessors and successors? Is it even canon anymore since Super showed up? One thing that many fans agree on, though, is that Super Saiyan 4 was freaking awesome. From the shadow trim around the eyes to the red fur, SSJ4 gives off this wild, untamed look that was built for aura farming. While the canonicity of GT remains up for debate, it seems like Toriyama decided to give us one last gift: he made Super Saiyan 4 canon for us!
If anyone doubted how tough Gomah would be when powered by the Evil Third Eye, that doubt has been thrown out the window. In the last episode, he managed to take every blow that the assembled party’s fighters could throw at him and shrugged it off like it was nothing!
Let me repeat that. The series broke the unwritten rule of fighting one-on-one by having eight fighters jump Gomah at once. And the best they could do was slow him down. Not even Goku is going to SSJ3, and Duu achieving a similar form is enough to pressure him for a long time. The Evil Eye is no joke!
To be fair, we cannot accurately assess how strong Gomah is in this form, as he’s not fighting Goku, Vegeta, Piccolo, and Shin at their full strength. As strong as they are as kids, they’re still kids, and have to deal with the nerfing that comes with that. However, given everything that we’ve seen so far, and what he continues to accomplish in this episode, it might be fair to say Evil Eye Gomah is close to the level of Kid Buu. Considering the absolute menace Kid Buu was, and where this takes place in the timeline, that’s a pretty serious threat.
Things get so bad, in fact, that Neva has to go and pull a deus ex machina and give Goku a power-up just to save their hides. And what happens next is going to be debated among the fans for years to come: Super Saiyan 4 returned to Dragon Ball!
SUPER SAIYAN 4 RETURNS!!
#DragonBallDAIMA Ep 18, WTF!!🤯 HOLY SHIT…Super Saiyan 4 Goku is now officially canon!!🔥🔥The whole episode was ABSOLUTE CINEMA!!🔥That Kamehameha moment was damn cool. SSJ Majin Duu.😂 What did Glorio wish to the Shenron!! I'm so HYPED. #DAIMA#DragonBall#ドラゴンボールDAIMApic.twitter.com/Ptu6AvKvUS
As previously mentioned, fans have debated for years over whether or not Dragon Ball GT is canon. Some say the story is not up to par with its predecessor, DBZ, or its successor, Super. Others want it to be canon simply because of how cool Super Saiyan 4 looks. And some would prefer it would be scrubbed entirely. Regardless of what fans think, one cannot deny how the addition of Super Saiyan 4 is a big deal. Given how Toriyama himself wrote the entire story for Daima before he died, this is basically him giving the form his stamp of approval. And just listen to how the fans have reacted.
Granted, many of those same fans will now be questioning why this form never appeared during Super. And through that, they may question if Daima is canon at all. But you know what? Who cares? It’s awesome, and so was the fight that followed.
In a series that has preferred to keep the action on a level to the early days of Dragon Ball, the fight between SSJ4 Goku and Gomah is a fantastic return to the days of Z and Super. The animation is fluid and fast-paced, Goku’s fighting style really leans into the more primal nature of his appearance. The whole thing is just awesome! The only reason that Gomah even survives is simply due to the plot armor he’s wearing!
Sadly, despite the huge power boost the heroes get, it turns out Gomah had been holding back the entire time. It’s unfair, but the story has to do it to justify the next plot twist as Glorio’s double-agent status finally comes into play.
I must admit, it’s a little disappointing to see that the Demon Realm’s Dragon is just a red version of Porunga. I know it’s supposed to keep with continuity, but come on, Toei. You could have had the dragon look like anything you wanted, and you chose to reuse Porunga? That feels like wasted potential! However, it was a good call to have the wish Glorio makes be spoken in Namekian. Since the audience doesn’t understand Namekian, we won’t know what he wished for until the next episode. Did he follow through with Dr. Arinsu’s wish to become the strongest in the Demon Realm? Or did he decide to turn on his employer and help the heroes? We won’t know until the next episode, and that’s the best kind of suspense the audience can be left on. Hopefully, the last two episodes of Daima will get the attention they deserve and end things on a high note.
Last time on Dragon Ball Daima, Goku and the other heroes made it to King Gomah’s castle. There, they managed to take down Degesu and rescue Dende, fulfilling one of their two goals of traveling to the Demon Realm. However, when they arrive at the final Tamagami, they realize that the Dragon Ball is missing! At the same time, Gomah manages to get his hands on the Evil Third Eye and places it in his forehead, unlocking a powerful new transformation. Will Goku and the others be able to defeat the Demon King in their current state?
Since the beginning of Daima, this blog has said that Dr. Arinsu was working against Gomah. The signs were all there: she gave him the idea of trying to mess with Goku and his friends. She hired Glorio to bring them to the Demon Realm and retrieve its Dragon Balls. She created Duu and Kuu to get the last Dragon Ball. The writing was on the wall, and it should come as no surprise when this episode has her say it. She wants to overthrow Gomah, and use the Dragon Balls to turn the Demon Realm into her own empire. An empire from which she can conquer the rest of reality.
Again, none of this should be a surprise. Arinsu had “Starscream” written all over her face. What is surprising, though, is the fact that she doesn’t have Glorio turn on the others right away and give her the Dragon Balls. Instead, she has Duu fight Goku with the Dragon Balls on the line.
The fight between Goku and Majin Duu is brief, but it also turns out that the two are pretty evenly matched. Goku does a good job, but Duu manages to tank most of his hits and give them back just as well. However, their fight soon becomes moot when the real threat shows up: King Gomah.
A few weeks ago, some fanart of what King Gomah’s ultimate form would look like wound up trending online. He was seen as this big, menacing figure akin to Frieza and Cell.
Imagine the disappointment fans must have felt when this episode reveals Gomah’s Third Eye form looks like this.
However, keep in mind that when it comes to the villains, Toriyama liked to subvert our expectations regarding their appearances. Frieza’s true form may look plain, but in truth, it’s downright terrifying. Cell may look more humanoid than bug in his perfect form, but his power is unreal. And let’s not forget the menace that was Kid Buu. So, as goofy as Gomah’s new form seems, the power he has is the real deal.
Don’t believe that? Here’s proof: Goku takes a moment to ask all the other strong fighters to help him jump Gomah. In a franchise famous for having the main heroes fight while the others watch, that doesn’t often happen. The fact that Goku is openly acknowledging that he cannot handle this on his own shows how serious this is!
#DragonBallDAIMA Ep 17, IT WAS FANTASTIC!!🔥Finally Goku transformed into Super Saiyan 3!!🔥🔥The final battle & the real dragon ball has begun. Animation of the fight sequence was damn good.🔥I really missed that evil smile of Supreme Kai. #DragonBall#ドラゴンボールDAIMA#DAIMApic.twitter.com/7b41BO0A2b
So, the climax of the episode has Goku, Vegeta, Glorio, Shin, Piccolo, Duu and Kuu, and even the Tamagami all rushing Gomah. And, in keeping with the Dragon Quest leanings, the fight feels like the climatic boss fight of a video game. It’s incredibly well-animated with some great, continuous shots. But, much like in the original Broly movie, not even jumping him at once is enough for the heroes. Gomah just tanks all their hits, and comes dangerously close to killing Goku. It’s only thanks to Duu and Kuu jumping in at the last second that he’s able to catch a break.
The episode ends with Goku powering up to the only form he has that can handle Gomah, Super Saiyan 3. He may. Or be at his full power as a kid, but this is his last resort. And judging by the previews for the next episode, this fight is going to be wild. Something that fans have been wanting to see from the very beginning!!!
The final battle is upon the Dragon Team…or Z Warriors or whatever the fans call Goku’s group of friends and allies. After stumbling their way into the First Demon World, Goku and the others are on the verge of ending their quest to rescue Dende and return to their proper ages. However, there’s one problem: Gomah knew they were coming and isn’t pulling any punches. To make matters worse, it turns out that a certain theory that came up regarding the Evil Third Eye turned out to be right. And with Gomah now aware of this fact, he’s determined to get his hands on it! The question is…did he manage to do that?
As fans, including this very blog, speculated, that eye in Hybis’ belt is, in fact, the legendary Evil Third Eye. Anyone who places it in their forehead can gain immense power that can make them nigh-unstoppable. However, the reason why it was lost was due to a power struggle between royalty. For the late Dabura, in an effort to overthrow his father, Abura, hired a thief to steal the Eye while his dad was away. Fortunately, the plan went south when said thief got killed before he could meet his client. Dabura overthrew his dad anyway, and Hybis found the Eye and kept it, ignorant to its true purpose. For further comparison, think Bilbo Baggins finding and keeping the One Ring, never realizing how dangerous it could be.
So, the prediction that Hybis’ eye belt was the Evil Third Eye turned out to be correct. However, this should come as no surprise if one considers the hints that were dropped earlier in the series regarding this. And once Gomah becomes aware that Hybis has the second-most important artifact in the Demon Realm, he orders Degesu to get it. Which leads to what is, easily, the funniest part of the episode.
While it’s not clear whether this Demon woman was Degesu in disguise, that doesn’t take away from the fact that this moment was hilarious. In the same conversation, Hybis calls the belt his favorite and most prized possession. And then he just trades it away for that big hat like it’s nothing! The fact that he doesn’t even want a kiss makes it even funnier! Hybis just became one of the funniest characters in the series! Time will tell if the Evil Eye becomes a factor in the final battle, though.
This storming of the castle could be harder than we thought.
Now, onto the main event of storming the castle. Given how they’ve effortlessly managed to demolish Gomah’s forces up to this point, one would think the Dragon Team would have no problem getting past them. After all, Goku single-handedly demolished the Red Ribbon Army as a child. This should be a breeze for him and the others.
In a surprising subversion of one of Goku’s great early feats, the fight isn’t as one-sided as fans would expect. Thanks to their sheer numbers and weaponry, the Gendarmerie manage to pressure the Dragon Team at several points. They manage to keep pushing, but by the time the tanks roll out, it’s clear that the heroes are starting to feel the strain a bit. And that’s great!
As some of the strongest beings in their universe, we’re used to seeing the Dragon Team steam-roll past the nameless grunts and mooks. Seeing them start to struggle as they press onward ensures that the tension remains realistic. Had Panzy’s father and his gang not shown up, there’s a real chance that Goku and his allies might have been pushed back. But show up, Panzy’s father did, and his gang manages to help the heroes rout the enemy. All that’s left is for them to storm the castle and get the Dragon Ball and Dende!
Things are about to get tougher
Or so they think. Most of the party doesn’t know that Arinsu already has the Dragon Ball and two skilled warriors capable of guarding it. And Gomah has the Gendarmerrie Force and Degesu at his disposal. Combine that with the chance that he could gain the Third Eye, it’s clear that Goku and the others are in for a tough battle ahead. It’s a shame that the story has to end so soon, though.
Last time on Dragon Ball Daima, the Dragon Team launched a full-scale assault on King Gomah’s stronghold. Their ultimate goal is to get the last of the Demon Realm’s Dragon Balls, rescue Dende, and return to their proper ages. However, little do they know that Dr. Arinsu already has the last Dragon Ball and that the foolish Hybis just gave Gomah the ultimate weapon that could let him crush the heroes. Will the motley group of Saiyans, Demons, Namekians, Kai’s, and Humans make it to Gomah in time?
Continuing from the events of the previous episode, Goku and the others continue their push towards King Gomah’s palace. However, they get interrupted by none other than the Gendarmerie Force, AKA the discount Ginyu Force that Gomah has to use as his last line of defense. Given how they felt super confident and bombastic about their chances earlier, one would think that the fight against them would take up most of the episode.
None of them reckoned on the likes of Vegeta, though.
It’s actually funny to see how the GF hyped themselves up so much and how Daima made us think they could be a serious obstacle. What’s even funnier, though, is how Vegeta no-sells all of their attacks. The look on his face says it all. He’s utterly indifferent to their schtick, having had to deal with the Ginyu Force for years. So, he makes them into his latest victims.
To his credit, though, Vegeta doesn’t kill them. Knowing him, he likely doesn’t see them as even worth killing.
Who saw Degesu Going Rogue?
Now, as for the character that gives the episode its name, Degesu shows his true colors. His attempt to flee with Dende as his hostage might seem sudden, but the anime has dropped hints that Degesu wasn’t as loyal to Gomah as the king thought. He’s always had this air of elitism about him due to being a Kai/Glind, even when serving Gomah. Given his attitude, it seems only fitting that it’s Panzy, someone who Degesu helped oppress, bring him down. Granted, she had help from Glorio and Hybis, but she’s the one who initiated it.
L'épisode 16 de Daima… Jsp trop quoi en penser honnêtement. Le truc qui me dérange c'est que tout était assez prévisible enft, on a un épisode qui s'appelle "Degesu" mais son "moment" est très brève pic.twitter.com/s7EnX3EKzg
So…why does this not feel like a much bigger deal?
The whole point of Goku and the others going to the Demon Realm was to rescue Dende. Saving him should be this big moment for the series. Something that should have more time and energy given to focus on it. Yet, once again, it feels like Daima is rushing toward the endgame without giving viewers enough time to enjoy it. Especially considering this is the last time we’ll have a story from Toriyama!
Gomah about to get a glow-up
Regardless of how the episode handles Degesu, though, it makes up for it when it comes to Gomah himself. While it would’ve been funny to have had that Demon that took Hybis’ belt (and Evil Eye) to have been Degesu in disguise, you can’t win them all. It’s made up by the fact that when Gomah puts the Eye in his forehead, he gets a massive power boost and becomes super jacked. It’s enough to make that nameless thief run away screaming!
GOMAH HAS THE THIRD EYE AND UTILITIES IT INTOTRANSFORMING MOMENTS AFTER IN DRAGON BALL DAIMA!! He finally has what he’s been longing for and now with his NEW form and power revealed, things are going to get VERY messy for our heroes, hands down. Very cool stuff here! (Not gonna… pic.twitter.com/oFR4Qe3V7m
We have yet to see the full effects of the Evil Eye, but given how the Dragon Team is not at full power, he likely has a massive advantage over them. Worse still, just as the heroes realize the last Dragon Ball is gone, Arinsu shows up with Duu and Kuu in tow. And that doesn’t even get into the fact that Glorio is secretly working for Arinsu and could betray the group.
The bottom line is that the last four episodes will be filled with action and fights. Which is good, because if Daima wants to stick the landing, it needs to make them count!
There’s a running gag in Dragon Ball surrounding Vegeta: he keeps getting the raw end of the deal. No matter how many times he gets stronger, no matter how much he yells, he seems to end up losing when it matters the most. Toriyama admitted that he didn’t like Vegeta that much, despite how he’s become the co-protagonist of the franchise alongside Goku. Knowing this, you can’t help but feel that what happens to Vegeta in this episode feels like a cruel joke Toriyama’s playing on him from beyond the grave. Once again, Vegeta gets shafted.
Dragon Ball Just Solved the Problem of Keeping Them Away from Villains
At the end of the last episode, our heroes were getting ready to leave the abandoned home of the Namekians for the next Tamagami. However, they weren’t alone. Neva, the last Namekian in the Demon Realm and guardian of its Dragon Balls, appears before them. And while he pretends to act senile, Piccolo sees through his act. Thus, Neva gets right to the point: he wants to go with them to the next Tamagami.
While the flight is a bit cramped for the occupants, it does give viewers the chance to learn more about the Demon Realm’s Dragon Balls. When they were created, they were unguarded like the other sets were. As was the case with the sets on Earth and Namek, though, evil beings sought to use their power. In other words, the Tamagami were created to address one of the biggest flaws the Dragon Balls have had throughout the franchise: that anyone can use them for evil if they get their hands on them.
This…this is smart writing!
Honestly, this decision makes a lot of sense. Thanks to inventions like the Dragon Radar, the Dragon Balls main defense of being scattered across whatever planet they’re on becomes little more than an issue of time. And given how villains have tried to use the Dragon Balls time and again, with King Piccolo succeeding, it highlights how dangerous they are in the wrong hands. Having a powerful guardian to protect them means that most people cannot use them unless they’re strong enough. And given how Goku had to go Super Saiyan to beat one, it’s likely that if Namek had their own Tamagami, Frieza wouldn’t have gotten close to them. That’s some smart writing going on! The kind that makes me wonder if Toriyama took a page or two from fans like TeamFourStar
As an aside, this episode establishes that Piccolo doesn’t know Namekian. Didn’t he and Kami speak it during their fight in the World Martial Arts Tournament that one time, though?
At any rate, Vegeta gets to fight the next Tamagami, and like with Goku, he’s more than capable of holding his own. Sadly, the fight is cut short when Vegeta falls underwater and is attacked by a kraken, swallowing him whole.
Kuu, now Duu? Where did Toriyama come up with these names?
Meanwhile, back with Dr. Arinsu, she’s given up on using Majin Kuu to get the third Dragon Ball. Instead, she and Marba use the last of the essence of Buu to create another Majin, Majin Duu. Whereas Kuu seems to have Kid Buu’s build and Super Buu’s intelligence, Duu takes after Good Buu in both appearance and mannerisms. He’s big, goofy, and loves to eat chocolate and other candies. Much like Good Buu, though, underneath his unremarkable exterior, Duu is a formidable warrior. When he fights the Tamagami, he’s able to give it a run for its money. The fight doesn’t end before the episode does, but what is shown proves to be a good callback to Majin Buu’s first appearance in DBZ.
Basically, Duu is strong but silly, like Buu. And if what we have seen on social media is true, Duu might not be the last Majin we see before the show is done.
So, once again, Vegeta has gotten shafted by fate and the anime, meaning it’s up to Goku and the others to save him from the Kraken. That, or Vegeta might end up killing it from the inside. Meanwhile, we’ll also be seeing whether or not Duu measures up to his template. Given how much fun Buu was even when he was evil, this could make for some entertaining fights.
The following is an emergency announcement from the D&A Anime Blog concerning an important member of the Dragon Ball community.
Less than a year ago, the world of anime wept at the loss of Akira Toriyama, the creator of Dragon Ball. Now, another prominent member of the anime community is in need of our help: Mike McFarland.
For those who aren’t aware, Mike McFarland is a veteran voice actor with more than 400 roles to his credit. The one we should concern ourselves with the most, though, is one of the OG conossseuirs of Waifus, Master Roshi. And right now, he’s in trouble.
Earlier this week, Colleen Clinkenbeard revealed on Twitter that Mike went to the hospital for what he thought was a bad ear infection. Instead, it turned out to be a brain tumor that the doctors had to get out of him. Thankfully, the operation was successful, and Mike is out of the hospital and recovering. However, with that comes another problem: paying the bills. He will need someone to stay with him until he is fully recovered, which won’t be cheap. That is why Brandon McInnis and J. Michael Tatum have set up a gofundme page to help the man cover his medical fees. Fortunately, the fundraiser has already met its goal…but some extra money cannot hurt.
Many Dragon Balls are still mourning the loss of Toriyama a year ago, and I’m still saddened by the loss of Rachael Lillis in that same year. So, the fact that the man who gives Master Roshi life facing something so scary is too much to bear. Fans of Dragon Ball and anime need to do whatever they can to help a man who plays one of the OG Shonen mentors in his time of need. And if this winds up being more serious than doctors first thought, we need to ensure that he has enough money for further care.
Now this…this is more like it! We’ve been waiting eight episodes now for Dragon Ball Daima to give us a fight that’s truly worthy of the franchise’s name. We’ve gotten plenty of good action scenes and sparring matches, but we have yet to get the kind of fight where Goku shows us why he’s one of the GOATs of anime. However, all of that has changed with his fight with the first of the Tamagami as the entire Demon Realm watches. More importantly, though, this episode offers us some surprising lore regarding the Demon Realm, Majin Buu, and what it is that Dr. Arinsu could be after.
Goku vs the Tamagami
The long-awaited fight between Goku and the first of the Tamagami begins in earnest, and it was worth the wait. While not to the level of power that fans have grown used to in Dragon Ball, Daima is quick to remind us that, kid or not, Goku remains a formidable foe. As his fight against the Tamagami attracts the nearby villagers, they’re stunned to see him not only match the guardian of the Dragon Ball blow for blow, but begin to dominate him. For longtime fans of the franchise, though, this shouldn’t come as a surprise. Goku is like that, after all.
Since we know that Goku will inevitably win, the fans should be paying attention to how the fight plays out rather than the overall outcome. And Toei managed to do a good job of animating it. From Goku blocking a hammer with his Power Pole to going Super Saiyan and having a beam clash, the series makes this a fun watch. But what was even funnier was how Goku ultimately wins the Dragon Ball.
I have to admit, I wasn’t expecting Goku to have to win the Dragon Ball by playing a version of the Shell Game, but…it feels like something Toriyama would want to do. Remember, Akira Toriyama was known just as much for his sense of goofy humor as he was for all the action. Having the Tamagami test Goku using the Shell Game, only for him to effortlessly point out the being’s attempted con, just screams Toriyama. It’s nice to see his imprint on Dragon Ball, but it’s a little sad, too, since he’s no longer with us.
At any rate, Goku ultimately manages to do what no one in the Demon Realm ever has and wins the first Dragon Ball. With that in hand, they head toward Warp-Sama to meet with their arriving comrades and head to the Second Demon World. As it turns out, the fight isn’t the episode’s highlight. It’s what comes after.
Dr. Arinsu Has a Bigger Plan in Store
As Gomah and Degesu are looking over old footage of the Z Warriors fights, they notice something when watching the moment when Vegeta blew himself up trying to kill Majin Buu. As the pieces of Buu began to reform, a lone figure managed to grab one of them before it could merge with the others. That person was none other than Dr. Arinsu. She was there during the Buu Saga!
It only gets crazier from there. While everything else is happening, Arinsu goes to a mysterious witch named Marba, currently brewing some kind of creation in a cauldron using that fragment of Buu. It’s not made clear right away, but the audience meant to guess that Arinsu is trying to create some kind of clone of Buu. That’s not even the craziest part, though. The crazy part is that Arinsu reveals that Marba is the one who created Majin Buu! As in, the original, psychotic, virtually feral, black air force wearing menace that pushed Goku and the others to the brink!
This is a major retcon to the world of Dragon Ball. From his inception, fans have believed that Majin Buu had one of two origins: either Bibidi created Kid Buu, or Kid Buu was this entity that existed for eons that Bibidi found. Now we know that both of those aren’t true, with Marba being Buu’s creator. And even though everything worked out and Buu (the good part of him)is now Goku’s friend, that still makes Marba indirectly responsible for countless deaths over millions of years. And now she’s helping Arinsu make a clone of Buu, the main difference being that this one will actually obey its master.
I’ve had my suspicions before, but now it’s becoming clear that Arinsu might be the real big bad of Daima. She’s set everything in motion by manipulating Gomah and bringing Goku to the Demon Realm; if she has her own Buu, she will be trouble. Keep in mind that at this point in time, Goku could only beat Buu because of a Spirit Bomb. Imagine how tough it would be for him to fight another Buu in his kid form!
Dragon Ball Daima is starting to heat up, and I’m glad I’ve stuck around for it this long. It’s a little sad knowing that we’re almost done with the First Demon World, but with most of the quests done, it’s time to move on. I can’t wait to see what the next world looks like.
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